Approximately 450 local business leaders are gathering this evening for Once Upon A Grapevine, a gala to celebrate female entrepreneurs in the wine industry.
“Each year we feature entrepreneurs in a different industry, and we’ve really seen the growth and development of this particular industry over the last 10 years,” said Angel Mok, membership and communications manager for the Forum for Women Entrepreneurs (FWE) of BC, which is hosting the event.
“We figured that it was a great opportunity to highlight and feature some of the women entrepreneurs who are co-owners or entrepreneurs on their own in B.C. wine.”
The sold-out gala will include a presentation by Premier Gordon Campbell, “women in wine” and “e-series 2011 entrepreneurs” videos, and talks by wine experts including Tinhorn Creek Vineyards winemaker and owner Sandra Oldfield, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery’s Tony Stewart, and certified sommelier, wine writer and reviewer Daenna Van Mulligen, a.k.a. Wine Diva.
The event, being held at the Fairmont Waterfront Hotel, will also feature a live taping of Terry David Mulligan's Tasting Room Radio Show, as well as an All About Wine silent auction and reception.
FWE, which launched in 2002, has a mission to “provide tools, energy, education and support to all women, encouraging them to become wildly successful entrepreneurs.”